Part 66 (2/2)
”Thankye, sir; I just could--a big one. I should ha' ventured to ask if I might get one, only I'm pretty sure that lake water's as salt as brine.”
”There must be a spring somewhere,” said the lad, and making his way into the room that was used for meals, he advanced to the table at one side, where there was another hand-bell. ”I don't want to awaken our prisoner, Tom,” he said. ”Here, take up the bell and go through to the back where the pantry place is, and ring gently.”
”Ay, ay, sir!” And the man softly raised the bell, thrusting in his hand so as to secure the tongue, and then the pair stepped back into the hall and through the door at the back, Murray closing it after them, before he signed to his follower to ring.
The man obeyed, at first gently, but as there was no reply he rang more loudly, and followed up his summons by thrusting the bell through a window at the back and sounding it vigorously.
”Can't be no one at home, sir,” said the big sailor, turning to gaze at his officer.
”So it seems,” said Murray, as he stood in the intense silence listening; ”but that Mr Allen said that his servants would come and attend to any of my wants.”
”Them chaps as rowed was all his servants or slaves, I suppose, sir?”
said the man.
”Yes; but it is the hottest time, and these people out here always sleep in the middle of the day. Go out and follow up the side of that stream where they poled up the boat.”
Tom May looked at him in a peculiar way.
”Well, what are you waiting for?” said Murray.
”I warn't with you when the blacks pulled the boat away.”
Murray started, and stared at his man in turn.
”Neither was I there,” he said, with a strange feeling of being puzzled a.s.sailing him.
”You said poled up the stream, not pulled, sir,” said the man. ”I didn't think when I spoke.”
”How absurd!” said Murray. ”Here, let's go out this way round to the front and hail the cutter. The boat-keepers will know.”
”It's all right, sir,” said May, for there was a rustling sound at the back and light steps, and the man exclaimed, ”Here's one of them.”
”Why, it's one of our lads,” said Murray excitedly.
”There's a bell ringing somewhere, sir,” said the sailor, who now came out of the deep shadow at the back of the cottage. ”Was it you, messmate?”
”Yes, my lad,” said Tom, speaking to his brother sailor, but staring hard at his officer the while. ”This here's the bell, lad, and it was me.”
CHAPTER THIRTY THREE.
BOILING OVER.
”Have you seen any of the black servants about?” asked Murray.
He was going to say slaves, but the word sounded so repugnant that he changed it.
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